2023 Chicago Cubs: All you need to know

Now that we know the MLB London teams and with the series just around the corner, the 2023 Chicago Cubs have become one of the most popular teams on foreign soil. They may not be the biggest contender this season, but this show vs the St. Louis Cardinals will most likely be worth every single penny spent on tickets for MLB London series.

2023 Chicago Cubs team profile

There’s no wonder why the league chose the Cubbies as one of the teams to represent them overseas. They have a diehard and loyal fanbase all over the world, and it’s not going to be a surprise to see thousands of fans rooting for them in the Old Continent.

The best Cubs players this season won’t make many MVP ballots, but this team is going through a bit of a transition, and they will figure out to be considerably better in the future. With that in mind, we’re going to go a little beyond the current 2023 Chicago Cubs or Cubs roster, letting you know about the history of this franchise.

Cubs franchise history

The Chicago Cubs are one of the most historied and well-known teams in Major League Baseball history. Founded in 1870. the Northsiders have a rich and interesting history, establishing themselves as one of the biggest powerhouses in North American sports.

Originally known as the White Stockings, the Cubs found plenty of success in the early stages of their history, playing at the defunct National Association of Professional Baseball Players. They won championships in 1876 and 1880, cementing themselves as two strong candidates at the time.

Then, in the early 1900s, the Cubbies started to form what was later known as a bit of a dynasty, with legendary manager Frank Seele calling the shots. With stars like Frank Chance, Joe Tinker, and Johnny Evers — better known as ‘Tinker to Evers to Chance’ — the Cubs won four consecutive titles in the National League from 1906 to 1910. Nonetheless, ironically, they could never win a World Series over that span.

Following some ups and downs after that glorious tenure, the Cubs had manager Hank O’Day leading the way. They found plenty of success during the 1920s, winning three National League pennants and making it to the World Series in 1929, but once again, to no avail.

It wasn’t until 1932 that the Northsiders found their biggest success to date. With a stellar lineup featuring superstars like Kiki Cuyler, Hack Wilson, and Gabby Hartnett, the Cubs made it all the way to the Fall Classic again. There, in a memorable World Series against the New York Yankees, Babe Ruth and the Bronx Bombers got the best of them, prolonging their historic World Series title drought.

Following that season, the Cubs became bottom-feeders for a very long time. They failed to make the playoffs more often than not and had to endure the so-called ‘Curse of the Billy Goat,’ coined after Billy Goat Tavern owner William Sanis was asked to leave the stadium because his pet goat was bothering some fans. Notably, even the non-superstitious fans had no choice but to believe in that curse at some point, as there was simply no way the Cubs could shake off their bad years and go back to their winning ways.

It all ended 71 years later. In 2016 and under Joe Maddon‘s tutelage, the Chicago Cubs were finally able to break their curse and win the World Series. That star-studded team featuring Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, and Anthony Rizzo will go down as one of the most talented in franchise history, leaving their mark in the books by coming back from a big deficit against the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) to win the title in seven games.

From that day on, the Cubs have had their fair share of ups and downs. They seemingly bottomed out in 2022, but built for the future and brought in some interesting pieces to try and contend for a spot in the playoffs again, although it’ll be easier said than done.

One of the two popular teams in the Windy City, the Chicago Cubs are a synonym for history and tradition in American Sports. Cursed or not, this team will always count on its diehard fans to stay by their side and root for them through thick and thin.

Greatest Cubs ever

Javier Báez

Future of the Chicago Cubs

The Cubs made it clear that they didn’t want to be bad for a long time, which is why they broke the bank to sign Japanese star Seiya Suzuki. Even despite all the tough luck, this team has often gone to great lengths to fight hard and compete to appease the fans.

That won’t be the exception to the rule going forward. Of course, they still need to add more talent — especially to their starting rotation — to be a force to reckon with in the National League, but they’ve made some moves in the right direction, that’s for sure.

It might take a while before they find another core that’s able to replicate what Rizzo and Bryant did almost a decade ago. But Chicago will always be an attractive market, and this team won’t hesitate to spend some big bucks in the future to give the fans what they need and deserve.